Chin Up
by aya-kun.zeroaddicted
Summary: "Psst. Alfie!" Jason peers out of his room and signals Alfred as he passes by.


"Psst. Alfie!"

Jason peers out of his room and signals Alfred as he passes by.

The butler raises a brow but follows him into the room. He stifles a smile as he sees the teenager's predicament. Jason was able to put on the suit well enough but the tie was nothing but knots.

"Here then." Alfred gently pushed back the young man's shoulders as he straightened out the dress shirt and jacket before moving on to the tie.

"Chin up now." Alfred loosened the knot. "You know, Master Bruce could've helped you with this."

Jason only gave a shrug but his blush, coming all the way down from cheeks to his neck told Alfred of his embarrassment.

"Nothing to be shy about, Young Master." He finished and smiled at the pout on Jason's mouth.

Scuffing the tip of his shoe on carpet, he gave another shrug. "Yeah, sure."

Alfred gave a small shake of his head in slight exasperation. Jason was such a mix of brashness and timidity that it was nothing but endearing.

Hopefully he'd grow to be more confident in believing he was no longer alone and that they'd be there for him. Hoping he'd come to know that this was his home.

* * *

"Psst. Alfie!" came a familiar and much welcomed whisper. Alfred turned and raised a brow. Jason, red faced, was peering out from his door. Nervously looking left and right, he signalled him.

Coming inside the room, Alfred had to stop a chuckle. Jason stood by the full length mirror, undoing the mess he'd made of his tie. "Close the door before someone sees, please!" he whispered loudly.

After doing so, Alfred then came to stand before the young man. It made him glad to see that he'd dressed rightly. The three-piece suit was tailored well and fitted his tall build.

Jason shyly held out the red necktie. He even straightened and held his head, chin turned slightly upward.

Alfred smiled that he'd remembered. "I can see you know now how to wear a suit properly, Master Jason. But how can you still not know how do your tie?"

Moving only his eyes to look down, Jason gave a shrug, a small embarrassed smile on his lips. "Didn't really need to. Not like I attended much that needed a suit anyways. And ties were always optional. Too easy to use against me."

Hmph, was the only reply he got. Jason smiled.

"I do still maintain what I said. Your father (it made him so glad to be able to say those words) can help you with this."

"No way. I'm not a kid anymore."

Alfred only raised a brow at him. The pout on his face was very much not adult like and made look more like the boy he'd been before. But, he refrained from saying so and only shook his head in exasperation.

"There." Alfred stepped back to see him in full but only saw Jason fiddling with his cuffs. "Perhaps next time though, you'd care to actually look at how I did it?"

Jason only gave him a wide smile as he stepped back towards the mirror. "Thanks Alfie."

Alfred only sighed. "Do come down on time, Master Jason. After all, this party is for you. Even if you think it a waste of time," he added and cut off whatever Jason was going to say. It couldn't be avoided. As a Wayne, it was necessary to be seen. "It's not everyday one comes back from the dead. Legally." And later, when it would only be family and friends remaining, they could maybe celebrate his return as it should've been when life had been returned to him.

Jason laughed a little nervously, trying not think about the people downstairs and especially of the media who had not yet stopped stalking him. "Sure, Alfie. I'll be there." Looking at the mirror, he adjusted his hair for umpteenth time.

Alfred gave a nod and then stopped before stepping back out. He looked carefully at Jason, feeling once again how glad it was to see how much Jason had grown both physically and emotionally. Seeing the boy smiling carelessly as he checked himself in the mirror. The happiness that he felt from knowing he was back home. Alfred felt glad along with him. Jason finally, _finally_ knew that he had a family who would be there for him. And that this was and always would be home.

* * *

I don't own Batman et al.

This was written coz I just felt like having some interaction with Alfred...tis super short and not that good but I still want to put out there. ^^;


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